Volleyball earns AVCA Team Academic Award

INDIANOLA, Iowa - The Simpson volleyball team earned the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Team Academic Award for the 2015-16 season, posting a 3.411 cumulative grade point average for the academic year. This marks the eighth season in a row the Storm have won the award.

The award, which was initiated in the 1992-93 academic year, honors collegiate and high school volleyball teams that displayed excellence in the classroom during the school year by maintaining at least a 3.30 cumulative team grade-point average on a 4.0 scale or a 4.10 cumulative team GPA on a 5.0 scale.

Seven Storm players were named to the All-IIAC Academic Team following the fall semester. Tabitha Blaser, Alicia Escher, Jacqueline Luth, Morgan McLaughlin, Brianne Potts, Erin Thompson and Elisa Wildy all carried a 3.5 cumulative GPA or better to earn a place on the All-IIAC Academic Team.

The Storm collected the honor for the eighth season in a row and 10th overall under 18th-year head coach Lana Smith. Simpson has achieved at least 3.30 cumulative grade point average each season since 2008-09.

In all, a record 764 teams earned the award. Central, Coe, Dubuque, Loras, Luther, Nebraska Wesleyan and Wartburg joined Simpson as Iowa Conference representatives.

Simpson opens the 2016 season at the Illinois College Invitational on Friday, Sept. 2.